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The last “souvenir” you want to bring home from your vacation is an illness. However, since germs are lurking in hotels, restaurants, and other tourist locations, the chance that you will come into contact with disease-causing organisms is high.

Knowing where the greatest concentrations of germs are likely to be and how to prevent the germs you come into contact with from making you sick are among the keys to healthy travel.

Travel Health Alert: Surprising Places for Germs

One of the most common ways to pick up and spread disease-causing bacteria, viruses, and other germs is by touching contaminated surfaces. While most hotels, restaurants, and other tourist spots take steps to keep their establishments as clean and germ-free as possible, germs inevitably find places to hide.

Be aware of the most common places where you might encounter germs on your vacation:

Handrails. When people are sick, they often carry germs on their hands. This is why germs often lurk on anything people hold onto, such as handrails. The best way to avoid picking up germs from handrails is to avoid touching them altogether if you can do so safely when on stairs, escalators, buses, trains, and other public locations. If you do touch a handrail, avoid touching your mouth and nose right afterwards, and wash your hands or use a hand sanitizer to disinfect as soon as possible.

Telephones. Telephones are often contaminated with germs, making them a key object to be wary of in your hotel room and out in public. It’s a good idea to bring household disinfectant wipes with you to your hotel so that you can disinfect germ-susceptible items like a telephone before using them.

Doorknobs. Public doorknobs are also likely to harbor germs. Wipe down the doorknobs in your hotel room and avoid touching doorknobs in public when possible. If you do touch a doorknob, again take care not to touch your mouth or nose, and wash your hands or use a hand sanitizer to disinfect as soon as possible.

Faucets. Public faucets can also be havens for germs. Touch faucets as little as possible while you are washing your hands — use a paper towel to turn them on and off to reduce your risk of coming into contact with germs.

Remote controls. There is a good chance that the TV remote control in your hotel room wasn’t disinfected after the last person touched it. Give it the once-over with a disinfecting wipe before using it.

Light switches. Light switches are touched by many people, quite possibly contaminating them with germs. Use the back of your hand when turning on and off light switches in public places and disinfect the light switches in your hotel room before touching them.

Public tables. Restaurants generally do a good job of disinfecting the surface of tables between guests, but outdoor dining and picnic tables may not be cleaned as regularly. Bring disinfecting wipes along with you, and wipe down outdoor tables and seats before sitting down.

Shopping carts. The handles of shopping carts are notoriously contaminated with germs. Many grocery stores now offer disinfecting wipes for you to use to clean off the handle of your grocery cart, or use your own wipes.

Condiment containers. Mustard and ketchup bottles, salt and pepper shakers, and other condiment containers are often contaminated with germs. When possible, avoid using these containers and ask your server for — or bring along your own — single-serving packages of these items.

Airplane tray tables. Flight attendants and maintenance crews have limited time to clean an aircraft between flights, so the chances that your tray table was cleaned are slim. Use disinfecting wipes to clean off your tray table, seat controls, and other surfaces in and around your airplane seat.

Even if you take all of the necessary steps to avoid coming into contact with germs, chances are you will encounter some. One of your best defenses against getting sick is regular hand washing. Wash your hands often, using soap and water, for at least 15 seconds to clean away viruses, bacteria, and other disease-causing germs. And for those times when you can’t readily wash your hands, have alcohol-based hand sanitizer rub with you to use.

You can also reduce your risk of getting sick when you encounter germs by getting the flu vaccine and any other vaccines that your health care provider recommends. If you are going to be traveling abroad, be sure to discuss any specific vaccines that are recommended for your travel destination — a conversation you should have four to six weeks beforehand if you’re traveling to exotic locations for which numerous immunizations are suggested.